Measuring and dispensing can



Aug. 6, 1935.. E. c. AKERS MEASURING AND DISPENSING CAN Filed March 19,1934 I VENTOR. EARL C. A KERS TTORNE 5.

Patented Aug. 6, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,010,126 MEASURINGAND DISPENSING CAN Earl C. Akers, Detroit, Mich., assignor of one-halfto Frank L. McLaughlin, Detroit, Mich.

This invention relates to liquid receptacles, and is particularlydirected to the provision in conjunction with oil receptacles and thelike of novel fractional dispensing means for limiting to a desiredamount the portion of its fluid contents which may be withdrawn from acontainer at a single pouring, thereby enabling positive securance of apredetermined quantity only, re-

gardless of the capacity of the container,.at every pouring.

An important object of my invention is to provide a container especiallysuitable for motor oil, and of such nature that motorists and otherusers of oil in relatively small quantities, but

' who nevertheless purchase it in greater amounts than they ordinarilyuse at one time, may pour oil directly from a container holding perhapsseveral quarts or more into the crank-case or other part to belubricated, and yet obtain only a desired quantity, as for example onequart, at each pouring. At present it is the usual practice to measureout the desired quantity into a separate measure before pouring it intothe crankcase. This practice is not only bothersome in itself, but

i the necessity of keeping the measure, and usual- 13; a funnel as well,accessible (and clean, if the introduction of grit into the motor is tobe avoided) is such a nuisance as to discourage many from buying oil inquantities despite the marked economy which may be thus effected.

The elimination of these troublesome disadvantages and drawbacks, andprovision 'of an improved and simplified container adapted to hold asuitable quantity, as for example several quarts, of oil or otherliquid, yet from which its contents may be poured a quart at a timeonly, is a primary object of this invention, together with suchsimplification of the means for accomplishing these desirable resultsthat incorporating my invention adds very little to the cost ofmanufacture of a container.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription, wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawingillustrating preferred embodiments of my invention, and wherein similarreference numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an oil can of a well a known eight-quartvariety insofar as its general construction is concerned, but which isequipped with measuring means in accordance with the principles of myinvention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 2-2 ofFigure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a similar vertical section showing the container in tilted,fluid-delivery position, the disposition of oil therewithin undertypical conditions being also indicated in dotted lines, and

Figure 4 is a perspective of the overweighted valve member employed toregulate communication between the two fluid chambers of the receptacle.

Referring now to the drawing, the interior of the container, as shown inFigure 2, may be divided into two compartments by the wall or partitionA, which forms a false bottom, the space beneath which (designated D)defines a measuring chamber whose capacity is of course fixed by thepositioning of the wall, which is preferably provided with downturnedflanges, as B, adapted to support it in desired spaced relation withrespect to the bottom of the can. The flanged wall assembly A-l3 isproportioned to fit slidably but relatively tightly inside the can, andmay be held in place entirely by friction. Any slight leakage whichtakes place because of such method of inserting the partition is ofcourse immaterial, since only approximate apportionment of the contentsinto quart or other desired units is required. The space above thepartition, designated C, constitutes the main storage chamber andcommunicates with the measuring chamber D through an aperture E. Throughthis aperture, when the valve L (presently to be described) is open,fluid from the upper chamber C may freely flow by gravity into themeasuring chamber D. Near one corner of the container rises a deliveryor pouring tube G connecting the measuring chamber with the pouring capopening P. Through this the fluid, which has filled the chamber D whenthe container is in the upright position shown in Figure 2, may bepoured directly to a desired point.

When the container is upright the overweighted portion J of thevalve-carrying support H forces upwardly and holds in raised positionthe oppoiste, active portion of the valve-carrying piece, which ispivoted on a pin K supported by the partition A appurtenant the valveopening E. The underside of the valve member H carries a valve portion Lof suitable relatively resilient material, such as cork, movable uponswinging the valve member to stop and free the valve opening.

When the container is upright, as above indicated, the weight Joverbalances the valve section, so that the latter is then distinctlyraised from closure position with respect to aperture -E. When thereceptacle is tilted to the oblique position shown in Figure 3, thecenter of gravity of the weighted valve support passes over the centerof pivot pin K, so that the valve is then urged toward closed positionto block the communicating aperture E. Thus when the can is tilted forpouring the valve is closed, permitting all of the fluid contained inthe measuring chamber D to be poured through the delivery tube G andfrom the receptacle, without the possibility of any more of the fluidstill contained in the upper storage chamber C making its way into thelower measuring chamber. If, for example, the container has a totalcapacity of eight quarts, while the measuring chamber holds one quart,pouring from the can in the normal way enables the user to pour out onlythe quart contained in the measuring chamber, and no more, upon a singletilting of the can. When, however, the receptacle is again restored toupright position, the weight J opens the valve and oil again fills themeasuring chamber to enable repetition of the measured pouringthereafter.

A breather vent, as M, may be provided in the partition A to break anytendency toward creation of a vacuum in the measuring chamber. This ventis preferably arranged close to the corner diagonally opposite thepouring tube G, and a vent as N is also arranged in the top of the canand closable by means of a cap as N.

Oil cans of this variety are ordinarily not filled completely to thetop, and it will be apparent that the can may be tilted to a sharp anglewhen pouring, so that the measuring chamber is substantially vertical,if desired. As a result, the surface of the oil then lies below bothvents M-N, and air may enter the measuring chamber to replace the oiltherein as the latter flows out. If through carelessness any slightamount of oil enters the measuring chamber through the small vent duringpouring, the slight inaccuracy thereby induced is unimportant in view ofthe purpose for which the container is intended to be used.

Attention is also desired to be called to the inturned flanges Q withwhich the overbalanced valve supporting member H is provided. These willbe seen to be so disposed that as the can is tilted (to the left asviewed in the drawing) the movement of the oil toward the low side ofthe container results in the striking of the valve, inside the pocketedportion defined in the flanges Q and sheet metal body portion of thevalve support H, by a quantity of the moving oil. The momentum of themoving oil thus helps to positively throw the valve toward closedposition. As shown in Figure 3 a pouring funnel, as B, may besubstituted for the cap P during use of the can to assist in directingcontained liquid into any desired receptacle, as oil into a breatherpipe. The funnel shown is of a conventional variety adapted to screw onthe spout P in place of the cap.

While it will be apparent that the illustrated embodiments of myinvention herein disclosed are well calculated to adequately fulfill theobjects and advantages primarily stated, it is to be understood that theinvention is susceptible to variation, modification and change withinthe spirit and scope of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. A measuring and dispensing can having in combination with anapertured wall separating the interior thereof into a generalfluid-storage space and a subjacent measuring space, a pouring outletleading from said last-named space to the exterior of the can, and anoverweighted valve member controlling the possible fiow between the twospaces and lying in non-closing position with respect to the aperture inthe interior wall when the can is in horizontal, nonpouring position,said valve member being adapted to be rocked to position of closure withrespect to said aperture when the can is inclined from its normalhorizontal position for pouring.

2. In combination with a plurally chambered can having one of itschambers of a predetermined capacity and located subjacently of anotherchamber and in potential communication therewith, an overweighted valvemember in normal position of non-closure with respect to thecommunication passage between the chambers, said valve being adapted tobe moved by gravity into position of closure with respect to the passagebetween the chambers upon the inclination of the can as a whole from itsnormal position, and a pouring spout leading from the measuring chamberto a point outside of the can.

3. In combination with a container, means enabling fractional dispensingof a predetermined portion only of the contents of the container upon asingle inclination thereof from upright position, said means comprisinga wall bounding a measuring chamber portion and having an openingtherein providing communication between said measuring chamber and theremainder of the container, valving means for said opening, meansresponsive to movement of the container from upright position for movingsaid valving means to closed position, and an outlet communicating withsaid measuring chamber.

4. In combination with a container, means enabling fractional dispensingof a predetermined portion only of the contents of the container upon asingle inclination thereof from upright position, said fractionaldispensing means including partitioning means defining a chamberedsection of predetermined capacity appurtenant the bottom of thecontainer and having an opening therein providing communication withother portions of the container, valving means for said opening forcontrolling such communication, means responsive to movement of thecontainer out of upright position for actuating the valving means, and abreather connecting said chambered section with a point higher than thenormal liquid level therein.

5. In combination with a container for a liquid, fractional dispensingmeans for limiting the proportion of contents of the container which maybe poured therefrom by a single tilting thereof, comprising a measuringchamber section appurtenant and in communication with the bottom portionof the container, valving means for such communication, means responsiveto movement of the container out of upright position for actuating thevalving means, and a pouring portion connected to said measuring chambersection and extending higher than the normal liquid level in thecontainer.

6. In combination with a container for a liquid, fractional dispensingmeans for limiting the proportion of contents of the container which maybe poured therefrom by a single tilting thereof, comprising partitioningmeans defining a measuring chamber section and having an opening thereinproviding communication with the bottom portion of the container,valving means for such opening, means responsive to movement of thecontainer out of upright position for actuating the valving means, apouring portion connected to said measuring section and extending higherthan the normal liquid level in the container, the container having abreather opening therein, and the measuring chamber having a breathertherein permitting communication between the measuring chamber and thefirst mentioned breather when the container is tilted.

EARL C. AKERS.

